PNG vs SVG for UI graphics
Updated October 25, 2025 • 3–4 min read
Quick guidance
| Asset type | Best format | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Icons, logos, simple shapes | SVG | Scales perfectly at any DPI, tiny for simple vectors, easy to recolor. |
| Screenshots, UI mockups, gradients/photos | PNG | Lossless raster preserves pixels; better for complex imagery. |
| Transparent photos/soft edges | WEBP/PNG | WEBP often smaller; PNG for exact lossless transparency. |
When to prefer SVG
- Scalability: Icons/logos remain crisp from 1× to 4× and beyond—no multiple exports.
- Tiny for simple shapes: Paths compress well; inlining the SVG can reduce HTTP requests.
- Theming: SVG fill/stroke colors can be updated via CSS for light/dark themes.
When to prefer PNG
- Pixel‑perfect UI imagery: Screenshots, detailed UI illustrations, gradients, or photo elements.
- Exact transparency: PNG preserves alpha exactly; no vector redraw needed.
- Predictable rendering: Raster appearance won’t vary with SVG rendering quirks.
Optimizing with OptiPix Pro
For SVG
- Import the SVG and use the built‑in SVGO optimization (removes metadata, keeps viewBox).
- Keep text converted to paths if you can’t rely on webfonts.
- Prefer strokes/fills over embedded raster images inside SVG.
For PNG
- Select Lossless and resize to exact display dimensions for crisp UI assets.
- For screenshots, avoid scaling up later—export at 1× or 2× target sizes.
- Consider WEBP for non‑UI images with transparency; keep PNG for true lossless needs.
Tip: If a logo looks complex as SVG (e.g., many tiny shapes/gradients), test both SVG and PNG exports. Pick the smaller file that looks correct at target sizes.
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